Method and device for inserting objects into an endless material rod of the tobacco processing industry

ABSTRACT

Method and device for inserting objects into at least one endless material rod of the tobacco processing industry. The method includes removing objects from an object supply, and accelerating the removed objects in at least one receiving unit in a conveyance direction into a receiving path in a section of an insertion belt guided by at least two redirection rollers, the insertion belt having receptacles for the objects successively arranged in at least one row to reduce a speed difference between the receptacles of the insertion belt and the objects. The method also includes receiving the objects in the receptacles along the receiving path, holding the objects in the receptacles of the insertion belt by suction air, and conveying the held objects to an insertion position at the endless material rod, and inserting the objects from the receptacles into the endless material rod at the insertion position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of German Patent Application No. 10 2011 017 615.2 filed Apr. 27, 2011, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a method for inserting objects into at least one endless material rod, particularly an endless filter rod, of the tobacco processing industry. The invention further relates to a method and a device for inserting objects in at least one endless material rod of the tobacco processing industry, particularly an endless filter rod, and an insertion belt.

Thus, the invention relates to the production of an endless material rod, particularly an endless tobacco rod or endless filter rod, for rod shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry, particularly for filter cigarettes. After its production, the endless tobacco rod or endless filter rod is cut to length into individual tobacco rods or individual filter rods. The endless filter rod, or respectively the cut filter rods or tobacco rods, contain one or more objects as essential components which influence the smoke or filter properties.

2. Discussion of Background Information

In the case of filter rods, or respectively an endless filter rod, the objects are in particular capsules with a fixed cover that are filled with a fluid. The fluid in such cases typically contains flavoring agents or fragrances, for example menthol. For its use, a smoker breaks open the capsule before smoking by applying pressure on the filter, and subsequently lights the cigarette. By applying pressure on the capsule, the fluid is released so that the aroma of the fluid develops. This procedure offers a particularly intensive or fresh taste experience. Appropriate capsules typically have a diameter of approximately 3.5 mm, but can be smaller.

Alternatively, hard objects can also be used as objects within the scope of the invention, likewise smaller or larger particles, for instance pellets or cylindrical objects of active charcoal, extrudates, or other filter materials or additives.

A generic technology, according to the document WO 2005/032286 A2, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, comprises an insertion device for capsules in a filter tow strip having a rotating insertion wheel. The insertion wheel, on its periphery, has receptacles for capsules in which the capsules are held after the insertion using suction air. During the further rotation of the insertion wheel, the periphery of the insertion wheel completely penetrates into the filter tow strip. In this case, as soon as a capsule enters into the filter tow strip, the suction air is switched off. Thus, the capsule is deposited in the filter tow strip and transported further with it. At the location of the insertion wheel, the filter tow strip substantially maintains the shape of a “U”, wherein the insertion wheel penetrates in the center recess or respectively in the channel of the “U”. Then, the formation of the endless filter rod occurs in which the filter tow strip is closed, compacted and enclosed using a strip of plug wrap.

The conveying of a filter tow strip and an endless filter rod formed therefrom in a filter rod machine occurs continuously. The production speed and the conveyor speed of the filter tow strips and the endless filter rod formed therefrom are limited by the maximum speed of the insertion device for the objects being inserted into the endless filter rod. Currently, the maximum speed amounts to approximately 100 m/min. Thus, production speed is significantly lower than with customary filter rods, into which no capsules are inserted.

This is because the speed difference between the insertion wheel and the capsules is too large immediately before the capsules are received by the insertion wheel. Either no capsule can be placed into a receiving chamber in the insertion wheel, or a capsule is destroyed because it has not yet disappeared completely in the receiving chamber and is crushed on the storage wall.

Furthermore during startup, with the known systems, the filter rods with capsules inserted must be ejected until the endless filter rod and the insertion wheel are synchronized.

SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Starting from this prior art, embodiments of the present invention create a possibility for inserting objects into an endless material rod of the tobacco processing industry at greater speed than was previously possible, where in addition the objects are handled more gently than before, and in particular, fewer objects must be treated as waste than before.

Accordingly, embodiments are directed to a method for inserting objects into at least one endless material rod of the tobacco processing industry, particularly an endless filter rod. According to the method:

-   -   objects are removed from an object supply,     -   the removed objects are accelerated in at least one receiving         unit in the direction of a conveyance direction in a receiving         path in a section, particularly a straight or concave curved         section, of an insertion belt, guided by at least two         redirection rollers, with receptacles for the objects disposed         one behind the other in at least one row, in order to reduce the         speed difference between the receptacles of the insertion belt         and the objects,     -   the objects are accepted into the receptacles along the         receiving path,     -   the objects are held in the receptacles of the insertion belt by         suction air, and are conveyed to an insertion position at the         endless material rod,     -   the objects are inserted from the receptacles into the endless         material rod at the insertion position.

The method according to the embodiments is based on the fundamental idea that the objects, e.g., capsules, are removed from a storage container and, using appropriate measures, are accelerated to a faster speed, particularly to approximately the rod speed. The speed difference between the receptacles of the insertion belt and the objects is thereby reduced such that an object is now significantly more likely to be received into a receptacle of the insertion belt. In addition, the approach and reception into the receptacles of the insertion belt occurs in a straight, convex or concave curved section of the insertion belt, that is, the receiving path. This results in prolonging the time during which the accelerated objects and the insertion belt are moving in parallel and in contact with each other. Implementing a straight receiving path is technically less complex than a concave or convex curved receiving path.

Parallel guidance ensures in particular that the objects are accelerated in the direction of a straight, convex or concave curved receiving path of the insertion belt. This means that the objects upon entry into the receiving path move essentially in parallel to the insertion belt, and thereby do not experience a strong impact. In the case of a concave curved receiving path, the objects in the concave curve remain in contact with the insertion belt, and are pressed against the surface of the insertion belt by centrifugal force.

Because the objects and the insertion belt are guided in parallel in the receiving path, and the speed difference is reduced due to the prior acceleration of the objects, the probability that objects arrive in the receptacles of the insertion belt is substantially increased. The objects are received into the receptacles of the insertion belt in a significantly more gentle manner than before, because due to the significantly reduced speed difference they are not in danger of being crushed with great force at the edges of the receptacles of the insertion belt, as was the case with insertion wheels known from the prior art. As a result, the maintenance and cleaning interval for the device can also be extended.

In order to further increase the probability that every receptacle of the insertion belt is populated with an object, it is advantageous to accelerate more objects in the direction of the receiving path than can be received by the receptacles of the insertion belt. This results in excess objects being guided along the receiving path so that there is a plurality of possible objects available to be received into each receptacle.

It is also advantageous that the objects that were not received into a receptacle of the insertion belt in the receiving path, or that were removed from a receptacle in the insertion belt, or that fell out, are conveyed back, or fed back after the receiving path into the object supply and reaccelerated in the direction of the receiving path. This results in an efficient use of the objects with little waste.

A further increase of the probability of being received results when the objects rolled off on receiving path on the insertion belt. This can be accomplished by disposing the straight receiving path at an angle to the perpendicular so that the objects do not merely fall down next to the insertion belt, but rather roll down in contact with the insertion belt. This can be advantageously further intensified by a concave curved receiving path.

In an advantageous further development of the method according to the invention, individual objects, or all objects, are removed from their receptacles at the end of the receiving path by an ejection device. During a startup phase or a synchronization phase, in which no usable filter rods are produced yet, it is advantageous to eject all objects from their receptacles at the end of the receiving path so that no objects are inserted into unusable filter rods. Ejecting individual objects from their receptacles in the insertion belt can be used to receive further objects, which can also be different in a controlled and ordered manner in a subsequent receiving unit.

In this context, it is advantageous to dispose at least one second receiving unit with a second receiving path downstream of the receiving path of the receiving unit in the conveyance direction of the insertion belt, to which further objects are accelerated, in particular of an object type differing from the type of the objects used in the first receiving unit. The further objects are received in receptacles of the insertion belt that are free of objects after leaving the first receiving unit. Thus, filter rods can be equipped with two different objects for example, or filter rods can be equipped alternately with different objects. In addition, those receptacles that remain empty in the first receiving unit, can be filled with objects also of the same object type in the second receiving unit.

During a startup phase and/or a synchronization phase, advantageously no objects are accelerated and/or all objects are removed again from their receptacles in the insertion belt. In the context of the invention, a synchronization phase is understood to mean that the insertion of the objects into the endless material rod is synchronized to the cutting of the material rods, that is, tobacco rods or filter rods, so that the objects are reproducibly disposed always in the same position in the manufactured filter rods or respectively tobacco rods. If the desired synchronization is not attained, such objects would not be located in their proper position in the cut rods. Such rods, that is, filter rods or tobacco rods, are to be excluded or respectively rejected as waste in the following.

The method according to the invention is further supported advantageously in that a groove is created in the endless material rod before the insertion of the objects, and the objects are inserted into the groove, which is subsequently closed again. This can occur using, e.g., a plow.

The objects can be inserted at an insertion position in the endless filter rod at a curved section or at a straight section of the insertion belt.

The method according to the invention can also be used advantageously with the production of two or more endless material rods, in which two or more insertion belts in particular, or an insertion belt with two or more rows of receptacles for objects, can be used. In this case, each insertion belt or respectively every row of receptacles is preferably assigned one or more receiving units.

The problem addressed by the invention is also solved by a use of an insertion belt with receptacles for objects disposed one after the other in at least one row, for conveying the objects from an object supply to an endless material rod of the tobacco processing industry, in particular in a method according to the invention, described above.

The problem addressed by the invention is further solved by a device for inserting objects into at least one endless material rod of the tobacco processing industry, an endless filter rod in particular. The device includes a conveying device having receptacles for objects disposed one after the other in at least one row, and an insertion device for inserting objects from the receptacles of the conveying device into the endless material rod. Further, the conveying device is designed as an insertion belt that has pressure applied, or that can have pressure applied, from the inside using suction air and/or compressed air, that is guided via at least two redirection rollers, wherein the receptacles for objects are designed as bore holes that completely penetrate the insertion belt and whose diameter on one side, e.g., the outside of the insertion belt, is greater than on the other side, e.g., the inside of the insertion belt. The device further includes at least one receiving unit that includes an acceleration unit which is designed and disposed to accelerate the objects in the direction of a conveying direction in a receiving path, particularly in a straight or concave curved section of the insertion belt so that a speed difference between the receptacles of the insertion belt and the objects is reduced.

In addition, the goal stated and described above for the method according to the invention is attained with the device according to the invention; that is to insert objects gently and with greater probability into the receptacles of the insertion belt, and thereby to attain an increase in the processing speed for the production of tobacco rods or filter rods populated with objects. The device, as well as the inventive method, handles the objects gently during the transfer to the insertion belt.

The insertion belt, in the area of the at least one row of receptacles, preferably has an increased profile at its exterior, and/or a concave continuous indentation at its interior. The increased profile forms a bar that serves in particular to engage at the insertion position into the groove or respectively the “U” profile in the endless material rod, and thereby to deposit the objects already in the groove, instead of releasing objects above the groove into the endless material rod. Due to the insertion into the groove using the bar, which engages into the groove, the object is effectively prevented from slipping in the longitudinal direction of the endless material rod after insertion so that a reliable positioning of the objects in the endless material rod is guaranteed. The arrangement of the continuous indentation at the interior of the insertion belt serves in particular for applying a vacuum to the receptacles of the insertion belt in order to securely hold the objects during the conveyance in the receptacles of the insertion belt.

The interior of the insertion belt is preferably designed as a flat belt or has a toothed belt profile in at least one side area. The toothed belt profile with a corresponding formation of the redirection rollers, effectively prevents slippage of the redirection rollers underneath the insertion belt. Additionally in this case, the synchronization can be directly measured by the rotation of the redirection rollers.

In this case, as well as the particularly advantageous case with the insertion belt designed as a flat belt on its interior side, the insertion belt has markings on its inside or its outside. An optical recording and evaluation unit is also provided which records and processes the markings, and in this manner determines the position of the insertion belt per time unit. These data are used in the following for synchronization. The appropriate markings can be disposed on the insertion belt at each receptacle for example. It can also be sufficient to provide only a single marking that passes the recording and evaluation unit once for every complete circulation of the insertion belt.

Advantageously, the device is designed for inserting objects in two or more endless material rods, where the device has an insertion belt with two or more rows of receptacles for objects, or two or more insertion belts each having one row of receptacles for objects. With this, the production speed can be increased further. The design with two or more insertion belts has the further advantage that in case of a production stop for one rod, the production can continue with the other rod(s). The design with a common insertion belt with several rows of receptacles facilitates the synchronization. In this case, every row of receptacles is advantageously provided with its own receiving unit regardless of whether these rows are disposed on one or more insertion belts.

The device according to the invention advantageously has an acceleration device, designed as a fall path, as a pneumatic or mechanical acceleration device, in particular as one or more ring nozzles, side channel blowers, vacuum pumps, compressed air sources, centrifuges, and/or acceleration wheels. Also, several of these acceleration devices can be used cumulatively, in parallel or in series. The pneumatic acceleration device also favors a circulation of objects, especially when more objects are accelerated than can be received in the insertion belt, such that an air circulation loop with a simultaneous feedback of the objects and their renewed acceleration or deposition in the object store could be favored.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the accelerated objects are guided or can be guided in a single layer along the insertion belt in the area of the insertion path. This can be implemented particularly through the dimensioning of the side walls of a guidance channel. This constructively implements a particularly efficient process. The objects can be guided through the receiving path over the surface of the insertion belt in the width of object thickness or respectively object diameter or in a plurality of object diameters. The broad solution reduces the risk of congestion of the objects.

Advantageously, the receiving path is arranged at an angle to the perpendicular so that the accelerated objects can roll off on the insertion belt. The objects, due to the intensive contact with the insertion belt while rolling down, arrive in the immediate vicinity of the receptacles of the insertion belt, and due to the small difference in speed to the insertion belt, they also are reliably suctioned into the receptacles. This can be enhanced by a slight concave curve in the receiving path.

Preferably there is at least one object supply provided, which is designed in particular as a storage with a sloped bottom with a vibration motor, that is connected to the at least one acceleration device, and that is mechanically decoupled from the at least one acceleration device. The preferred design as a storage with a sloped bottom with a vibration motor prevents the objects from impeding each other and jamming such that the flow of objects from the object supply is interrupted. This is broken up and prevented by vibrations. The acceleration device, which should not be vibrated, is mechanically decoupled by a bellows coupling with a flexible inner covering so that objects cannot fall into the folds of the bellows structure. A small air gap that is smaller than one object diameter, also serves this purpose.

The receiving unit preferably comprises at least one ejection device disposed between the redirection rollers, by which the receptacles of the insertion belt can be pressurized from the inside using a pneumatic or mechanical ejection pulse for ejecting objects out of the receptacles, particularly by a pulse of compressed air, or compressed air flow, or a star wheel or plunger. The ejection device serves for emptying the receptacles of the insertion belt during the startup phase or during a synchronization phase, or for the emptying individual receptacles that are to be filled with different objects in a subsequent receiving unit.

Likewise advantageously, a feedback device, in particular an air circulation loop, is provided for objects that were not received into a receptacle of the insertion belt, in order to feed them back into the object storage or into the acceleration device.

Particularly for inserting several different types of objects into an endless rod, it is preferable to dispose at least one further receiving unit, especially of the same type at the insertion belt, in the conveyance direction downstream of the receiving unit, at at least one receiving path in a straight section of the insertion belt, to which further objects are accelerated, particularly of a different object type than the type of objects used in the first receiving unit. The further objects are received in receptacles of the insertion belt that remain free of objects after leaving the first receiving unit. Along with the use for equipping the insertion belt with objects of different types, the arrangement of a second receiving unit is also useful in order to fill remaining vacancies in the second receiving unit due to a possibly inefficient receiving of objects into receptacles of the insertion belt.

An insertion device designed for inserting objects from the receptacles of the insertion belt into the endless material rod, is preferably formed by mechanical or pneumatic devices, in particular by a compressed air pulse or compressed air stream, a star wheel or a plunger. A scraper for supporting the removal of the objects from their receptacles in the insertion belt is disposed downstream, in particular of the insertion device in the conveyance direction of the endless material rod. The scraper, along with the final separation of objects from the insertion belt, ensures that the objects are securely embedded into the endless material rod, because the lower side of such a scraper presses into the endless material rod during the conveyance of the endless material rod.

Further, it is preferably provided that a redirection roller has an annular groove at which a vacuum is applied or can be applied. With this, it is not necessary for the insertion belt to be in a precise position with respect to the redirection roller.

Likewise, preferably a plow is provided which, in the conveyance direction of the endless material rod, is disposed downstream of the insertion position of the insertion belt in the endless material rod and generates a groove in the endless material rod, into which the objects are inserted.

The device preferably comprises a control device that is designed to implement a method according to the invention described above using the device. This means in particular the control of the movable components, in particular the control of the redirection rollers with which the insertion belt is driven, the vacuum or respectively the compressed air sources with which objects are held in the receptacles of the insertion belt, or respectively are ejected again from them, the control of the acceleration device or respectively the acceleration device, and the rod conveyance, and the insertion device for inserting the objects into the endless material rod.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to an insertion belt of a device according to the invention described above. The receptacles for the objects are designed as bore holes which completely penetrate the insertion belt, and whose diameter is greater at an outside of the insertion belt than at an inside of the insertion belt. Preferably the insertion belt in the area of the at least one row of receptacles has a raised profile on its outside and/or a concave continuous indentation on its inside. Further preferably, the inside of the insertion belt is designed as a flat belt, or has a toothed belt profile in at least in one side area.

The design of the receptacles as bore holes that completely penetrate the insertion belt and whose diameter on an outside of the insertion belt is greater than on an inside of the insertion belt, serves the purpose of suctioning objects into the receptacles, but not suctioning them completely through the bore holes. The bore holes which taper toward the inside of the insertion belt also serve as a seat for the objects. The seat can be designed differently, as long as the diameter at the inside is less than the object diameter, and the diameter at the outside is greater than or equal to the object diameter. The bore hole can have a step as an object seat for example, so that the object is held completely within the bore hole, or respectively the receptacle, but sits with its outside just below the outer surface of the insertion belt. Alternatively, the bore hole can also have a conically reduced shape. The shape is to be chosen appropriately for the selection of the objects.

The features, advantages and properties named with the subject matters of the invention, i.e., the method according to the invention, the use according to the invention, the device according to the invention and the insertion belt according to the invention, apply in each case without restriction also to the respective other subject matters according to the invention.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method for inserting objects into at least one endless material rod of the tobacco processing industry. The method includes removing objects from an object supply, and accelerating the removed objects in at least one receiving unit in a conveyance direction into a receiving path in a section of an insertion belt guided by at least two redirection rollers, the insertion belt having receptacles for the objects successively arranged in at least one row to reduce a speed difference between the receptacles of the insertion belt and the objects. The method also includes receiving the objects in the receptacles along the receiving path, holding the objects in the receptacles of the insertion belt by suction air, and conveying the held objects to an insertion position at the endless material rod, and inserting the objects from the receptacles into the endless material rod at the insertion position.

According to embodiments, the at least one endless rod can include an endless filter rod, and the path in the section of the insertion belt is a straight section.

In accordance with other embodiments, more objects can be accelerated in the direction of the receiving path than can be received by the receptacles of the insertion belt. The method can also include feeding into the object supply certain objects at an end of the receiving path that one of: are not received in the receptacles of the insertion belt; are removed from the receptacle of the insertion belt; or fell out of the receptacle of the insertion belt, and re-accelerating these certain objects in the direction of the receiving path.

According to still other embodiments of the invention, the objects may roll off on the receiving path on the insertion belt.

Moreover, the method can further include removing one of individual or all objects from respective receptacles at an end of the receiving path with an ejection device. At least one second receiving unit with a second receiving path can be arranged downstream, in relation to the conveyance direction, of the receiving path of the receiving unit, and method may also include accelerating further objects in the second receiving path; receiving the further objects in receptacles of the insertion belt that are open after leaving the receiving unit. The further objects can be of an object type different from the type of objects in the receiving unit.

In accordance with still other embodiments, during at least one of a startup phase and a synchronization phase, at least one of no objects are accelerated and all objects can be removed from the receptacles in the insertion belt.

According to further features, before the insertion of the objects, the method can also include creating a groove in the endless material rod into which the objects are inserted, and after insertion of the objects, the method may also include closing the groove.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method of operating an insertion belt having receptacles for objects arranged one after the other in at least one row to convey the objects from an object supply to an endless material rod of the tobacco processing industry. The method includes rotating the operating belt to a speed corresponding to a conveying speed of the endless material rod, suctioning objects to the receptacles to accelerate the suctioned objects to a speed of the conveying speed, and inserting the suctioned objects into the endless material rod.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a device for inserting objects into at least one endless material rod of the tobacco processing industry. The device includes a conveyor with receptacles arranged one after the other in at least one row that are structured for receiving the objects, an inserter structured and arranged to insert objects from the receptacles of the conveyance device into the endless material rod, the conveyor being formed as an insertion belt, which is guidable over at least two redirection rollers, and to which at least one of suction air and compressed air is to be applied from an inside. The receptacles are formed as bore holes that completely penetrate the insertion belt and that have a diameter at an outside of the insertion belt that greater than at the inside. The device also includes at least one receiving unit having an acceleration device structured and arranged to accelerate in a conveyance direction the objects in a receiving path in a section of the insertion belt so that a speed difference between the receptacles of the insertion belt and the objects is reduced.

According to embodiments, the at least one endless rod may include an endless filter rod, and the path in the section of the insertion belt can be a straight section.

In accordance with other embodiments, the insertion belt in an area of the at least one row of receptacles can have at least one of an increased profile at its outside and a concave continuous indentation at its inside.

According to other embodiments, the insertion belt may be structured and arranged on the inside one of as a flat belt or to have a toothed belt profile in at least one side area.

Further, the device may be structured and arranged for inserting objects into two or more endless material rods, and the insertion belt comprises with two or more rows of receptacles for objects. Alternatively or additionally, the device can be structured and arranged for inserting objects into two or more endless material rods, and wherein the conveyor comprises two or more insertion belts, each with one row of receptacles for objects. Moreover, the acceleration device may include an accelerator comprising at least one of a fall path, a pneumatic or mechanical accelerator, side channel blowers, vacuum pumps, compressed air sources, centrifuges and acceleration wheels. The pneumatic or mechanical accelerator can include one or more ring nozzles.

In accordance with still other embodiments of the invention, the accelerated objects can be guidable in an area of the receiving path in a single layer along the insertion belt.

According to further embodiments, the receiving path may be obliquely oriented to gravity so the accelerated objects roll off on the insertion belt.

According to other embodiments, at least one object supply is provided that is structured and arranged with a sloped bottom store and a vibration motor that is connected to the at least one acceleration device and which is mechanically decoupled from the at least one acceleration device.

Further, the receiving unit can include at least one ejection device structured and arranged between the redirection rollers, by which objects are ejectable from the receptacles. The at least one ejection device may include: a pneumatic or mechanical ejection pulse structure to apply a compressed air pulse or compressed air flow; a star wheel; or a plunger.

According to still other embodiments, a feedback unit can be provided as part of an air circulation loop for feeding objects that were not received in a receptacle back into one of the object supply or the acceleration device.

In accordance with still other embodiments of the instant invention, the device may also include at least one further receiving unit being arranged at the insertion belt and downstream, in relation to the conveyance direction, the receiving unit and at at least one receiving path in a straight section of the insertion belt, to which further objects are accelerated. The further objects are received in receptacles of the insertion belt that are free of objects after leaving the first receiving unit. The further objects can be of a type differing from the objects in the receiving unit.

Moreover, the inserter can be structured and arranged to be mechanical or pneumatic and to apply a compressed air pulse or compressed air flow, a star wheel or a plunger. A scraper for supporting the receiving of objects from the receptacles in the insertion belt may be arranged downstream of the inserter in a conveyance direction of the endless material rod.

According to other embodiments, at least one of the redirection rollers has an annular groove at which a vacuum can be to be applied.

Further, a control device can be structured and arranged to insert the objects into the at least one endless material rod of the tobacco processing industry.

In accordance with still yet other embodiments of the present invention, the insertion belt of the above-described device includes the receptacles for the objects structured as bore holes completely penetrating the insertion belt and having a diameter at an outside of the insertion belt greater than at an inside. The insertion belt in an area of the at least one row of receptacles may have at least one of an increased profile at the outside and a concave continuous indentation at the inside. The insertion belt at the inside can be structured one of as a flat belt, or to have toothed belt profile in at least one side area.

Other exemplary embodiments and advantages of the present invention may be ascertained by reviewing the present disclosure and the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are described below, without restricting the general idea of the invention, using non-limiting exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, whereby we expressly refer to the drawings with regard to the disclosure of all details according to the invention that are not explained in greater detail in the text. In the figures:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a section through an insertion belt according to the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of a further device according to the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of an acceleration device according to the invention;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of a further acceleration device according to the invention; and

FIG. 6 shows a schematic detailed view of the insertion region of a device according to the invention.

In the following figures, the same or similar types of elements or respectively corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numbers so that a corresponding re-introduction can be omitted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the present invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the present invention in more detail than is necessary for the fundamental understanding of the present invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the present invention may be embodied in practice.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a device 3 according to the invention. The device 3 serves to insert objects into an endless material rod 1 that is conveyed in a conveyance direction 1 a. The endless material rod 1 is shown on the right side in FIG. 1 without objects. After passing an insertion position 20 at which objects were inserted into the endless material rod 1, the endless material rod with objects is labeled with the reference number 2.

The device 3 comprises an insertion belt 4 as a central element that circulates around and is driven by the redirection rollers 6 and 7, in a conveyance direction 4 a as in FIG. 1 in the clockwise direction. The insertion belt 4 has receptacles 5 at regular intervals for objects that are designed as through bore holes. These through bore holes have a larger diameter at the outside of the insertion belt 4 than on the inside, and are designed as receptacles 5 for objects.

The insertion belt 4 is disposed at an angle to the perpendicular so that the downward moving part of the insertion belt 4A moves along obliquely downward. A vacuum source 8 that is located between the redirection rollers 6 and 7 serves to apply negative pressure or respectively suction air to the receptacles 5, in order to hold the objects arranged therein in their receptacles 5.

For clarity, side steel sheets that hold the vacuum within the insertion belt 4 are not represented. A receiving unit 10 which has a housing with channels, guide plates, and several other elements, is disposed on the side of the insertion belt 4, at which the insertion belt 4 moves downward in the direction of the insertion position 20. The part of the receiving unit 10, which runs parallel to the insertion belt 4, forms a receiving path 14 in which objects that were previously accelerated, can run in parallel to the conveyance direction 4 a of the insertion belt 4.

The receiving unit 10 comprises a storage container for objects, not represented, with an output opening 13 in the interior of the housing, from which objects can be introduced into the housing of the receiving unit 10. Due to gravitational force, the objects are accelerated there through a supply chamber 16 and via a first guide plate or respectively a first guide curve 17 and a second guide curve 18 to the lower entry of a tube 12, in which three ring nozzles 11, 11′, 11″ are disposed, connected in series, and which ensure a continuous air stream in the upward direction through the tube 12.

Suctioned in by this air flow, objects enter into the lower end of the tube 12, pass through the ring nozzles 11, 11′, 11″, and in the process are carried along by the suction of the air flow and accelerated. The air flow and the objects are redirected twice by the tube 12 in the upper area of the receiving unit 10, and are conducted into the receiving path 14, which begins at a start 14 a, is oriented parallel to the insertion belt 4 along the receiving path 14, and ends at an end 14 b. Due to structures in the interior of the housing of the receiving unit 10 and due to lateral guide rails 15, the objects are guided in a single layer and possibly a single row along the receiving path 14.

An excess of objects are moved through the receiving path 14 so that there is a high probability that all receptacles 5 of the insertion belt 4 are occupied. The excess objects that are not received in receptacles 5 arrive via the second guide curve 18 again at the entry of the tube 12 and are fed back in the air flow in the circulation loop of the acceleration and feedback to the receiving path 14. This forms an air circulation loop and a circulation of objects in the receiving unit 10.

Optical sensors can be disposed in a part of the air circulation loop and/or in the supply chamber 16 that measure a fill level of objects in the supply chamber 16 for example, or the quantity of objects moved in the air circulation loop. If this quantity falls below a value depending on the current production speed for example, further objects are added from the object supply into the receiving unit 3.

The supply chamber 16 beneath the outlet opening 13 of the large capacity container of objects is largely unaffected by the air and object circulation. The width of the cavity, which includes the supply chamber 16, tube 12, receiving path 14 and the lower chamber, which is bounded by the guide curves 17 and 18, preferably amounts to the diameter of one object.

An ejection device 19, which is based on compressed air, is disposed downstream of the receiving path 14 in the conveyance direction 4 a of the insertion belt 4. This device, when it is controlled accordingly, applies pulses of compressed air, or compressed air to the receptacles 5 of the insertion belt 4. Due to the compressed air, the objects in the receptacles 5 of the insertion belt 4 are ejected again at this location, and arrive at the second guide curve 18, and thereby back in the air and object circulation in the receiving unit 10. This is the case for example when the rod producing machine starts up or when synchronization has not been established with a measurement apparatus.

After the end 14 b of the receiving path 14, the objects in the receptacles 5 of the insertion belt 4, held due to vacuum from the vacuum source 8, arrive at the lower redirection roller 7 and the insertion position 20. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a compressed air source 21 serves as an insertion device (inserter) that guides compressed air, via a compressed air line 22, to a compressed air outlet region 23 in the area of the insertion position 20. The region to which compressed air is continuously applied is somewhat wider than the distance between two successive receptacles 5 for objects. The compressed air from the compressed air source 21 presses the objects out of the receptacles 5, and into the endless material rod 1 or respectively 2. A groove has previously been made in the endless material rod 1 by a plow 25. The objects are inserted in this groove.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of an insertion belt 4 according to the invention. The insertion belt 4 has a “T” profile with flat side parts 41 on both sides of a raised bar 42. The raised bar is used to engage in a groove of the endless material rod 1 and to reliably deposit the objects 9 therein.

The inside of the insertion belt 4 is labeled with reference number 43, the outside is labeled with reference number 44. A central bore hole is formed as a receptacle 45 which has a stepped seat 48 for the object 9. As a result, the diameter 46 of the bore hole at the inside 43 of the insertion belt 4 is less than the diameter 47 at the outside 44 of the belt.

The insertion belt 4 glides with its outside 44 on a glide surface 50. Side surfaces 51 are also represented. A structure lying flush with the receptacle 45 applies a vacuum 52 to the receptacle 45.

For the production of two or more endless material rods, either two or more insertion belts 4 can be used, or an insertion belt 4 is used that has several raised bars 42 disposed next to each other with corresponding structures represented in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a device 3′ according to the invention. In contrast to the device 3 from FIG. 1, the device 3′ from FIG. 3 has two receiving units 10, 10′ of the same type connected one behind the other. The two receiving units 10, 10′ each have their own circulation loop with ring nozzles 11-11″ and 11′″-11′″″ and tubes 12, 12′, which lead to receiving paths 14, 14′. The housings each have outlet openings 13, 13′ from storage containers of objects and supply chambers 16, 16′ and first and second guide curves 17, 17′, 18, 18′. In addition, each of the receiving units 10, 10′ has its own ejection device 19, 19′.

By suitably controlling the ejection devices 19, 19′ it is possible to insert different object types into the insertion belt 4 for example, or to fill vacancies in the receptacles 5 of the insertion belt 4 that remain after the first receiving unit 10. The further components are not different with respect to FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of an alternative exemplary embodiment of an acceleration device according to the invention of a device according to the invention. The components of the device that are involved with the insertion belt 4 have been removed in this figure, because they are of the same kind as those in FIGS. 1 and 3. The receiving units 60, 60′ in FIG. 4 are supplied by a common fan 61 with an air flow that is separated by an air tube 62 into two air tube branches 63, 63′.

Each of the two air tube branches 63, 63′ travels past an object store 64, 64′ which can release objects downward under control into the airflow such that the objects subsequently arrive in the acceleration units 65, 65′. Tubes in the acceleration units 65, 65′ are disposed in a race track arrangement such that a circulating air flow results, in which objects are carried along. As a result, the objects are accelerated in the air flow. Each acceleration unit 65, 65′ has a receiving path 66, 66′ that is guided in parallel to a straight section of the insertion belt, and a feedback 67, 67′.

FIG. 5 schematically represents an alternative acceleration device, namely a centrifuge 70 that rotates in a direction of rotation 70 a. The centrifuge 70 has an internal, central object outlet 71 from which objects are introduced into the interior of the centrifuge 70. The centrifuge 70 has inward pointing driving spikes 72 to ensure that the objects in the interior of the centrifuge 70 gently assume the rotational speed. In the lower region of the centrifuge 70, there is an outlet into a guidance channel 73, not shown, that after a slight curve opens into the straight receiving path 74. This receiving path 74 in turn runs in parallel to an insertion belt, not shown.

Further possible acceleration device are a fall path for example, which is also realized to some extent in FIG. 5 by the curved part, an acceleration wheel or an air flow caused by suction air.

FIG. 6 schematically represents a detail of a device according to the invention at the location of the insertion position 20. In this case, alternatively to the compressed air used in FIGS. 1 and 3, a star wheel 80 in the lower region of the redirection roller 7 serves as an insertion device, that has insertion fingers 81 at its periphery. The star wheel 80 moves in a direction of rotation 80 a, which corresponds to the conveyance direction 4 a of the insertion belt 4 and with a corresponding circumferential speed. Thereby, the insertion fingers 81, which in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 6 are somewhat widened and are equipped with a bowl shape, penetrate the receptacles 5 of the insertion belt 4 from the inside, thereby push the objects 9 that are held therein downward and out. As a result, the objects 9 are inserted into the endless material rod 1 that is conveyed in the direction 1 a.

A plow 25 and a scraper 26 are also shown in FIG. 6. The plow is disposed upstream in the conveyance direction 1 a of the endless material rod 1 of the insertion position 20, and the scraper 26 is disposed downstream. The plow 25 separates the endless material rod 1 up to approximately its center, and thereby creates a groove into which the objects 9 are inserted. The scraper 26 starts with its edge directly downstream of the insertion position 20. As a result, an object 9 that was just inserted into the endless rod 1 is held in its position and cannot be pressed back upward by the force of the rod material. The bottom of the scraper 26 runs, at least initially, in parallel to the conveyance direction 1 a of the endless material rod 1.

All named features, including those taken from the drawings alone, and individual features, which are disclosed in combination with other features, are considered individually and in combination as essential to the invention. Embodiments according to the invention can be fulfilled through individual characteristics or a combination of several characteristics.

It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.

REFERENCE LIST

1 endless material rod

1 a conveyance direction of the endless material rod

2 endless material rod with objects

3, 3′ device

4 insertion belt

4 a conveyance direction of the insertion belt

5 receptacle for objects

6, 7 redirection roller

8 vacuum source

9 object

10, 10′ receiving unit

11-11′″″ ring nozzle

12, 12′ tube

13, 13′ outlet opening of the large capacity container of objects

14, 14′ receiving path

14 a start of the receiving path

14 b end of the receiving path

15 lateral guide rail

16, 16′ supply chamber

17, 17′ first guide curve

18, 18′ second guide curve

19, 19′ ejection device

20 insertion position

21 compressed air source

22 compressed air line

23 compressed air outlet region

25 plow

26 scraper

41 flat side part

42 bar

43 inside

44 outside

45 receptacle

46 diameter of the inside

47 diameter of the outside

48 seat

50 glide surface

51 side wall

52 vacuum

60, 60′ receiving unit

61 common fan

62 air tube

63, 63′ air tube branch

64, 64′ object store

65, 65′ acceleration unit

66, 66′ receiving path

67, 67′ feedback

70 centrifuge

70 a direction of rotation

71 object outlet

72 driving spike

73 guidance channel

74 receiving path

80 star wheel

80 a direction of rotation of the star wheel

81 insertion finger 

1. A method for inserting objects into at least one endless material rod of the tobacco processing industry, the method comprising: removing objects from an object supply; accelerating the removed objects in at least one receiving unit in a conveyance direction into a receiving path in a section of an insertion belt guided by at least two redirection rollers, the insertion belt having receptacles for the objects successively arranged in at least one row to reduce a speed difference between the receptacles of the insertion belt and the objects; receiving the objects in the receptacles along the receiving path; holding the objects in the receptacles of the insertion belt by suction air, and conveying the held objects to an insertion position at the endless material rod; and inserting the objects from the receptacles into the endless material rod at the insertion position.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one endless rod comprises an endless filter rod, and the path in the section of the insertion belt is a straight section.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein more objects are accelerated in the direction of the receiving path than can be received by the receptacles of the insertion belt.
 4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising: feeding into the object supply certain objects at an end of the receiving path that one of: are not received in the receptacles of the insertion belt; are removed from the receptacle of the insertion belt; or fell out of the receptacle of the insertion belt; and re-accelerating these certain objects in the direction of the receiving path.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the objects roll off on the receiving path on the insertion belt.
 6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising removing one of individual or all objects from respective receptacles at an end of the receiving path with an ejection device.
 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein at least one second receiving unit with a second receiving path is arranged downstream, in relation to the conveyance direction, of the receiving path of the receiving unit, and method further comprises accelerating further objects in the second receiving path; receiving the further objects in receptacles of the insertion belt that are open after leaving the receiving unit.
 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the further objects are of an object type different from the type of objects in the receiving unit.
 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein during at least one of a startup phase and a synchronization phase, at least one of no objects are accelerated and all objects are removed from the receptacles in the insertion belt.
 10. The method according to claim 1, wherein, before the insertion of the objects, the method further comprises creating a groove in the endless material rod into which the objects are inserted, and wherein, after insertion of the objects, the method further comprises closing the groove.
 11. A method of operating an insertion belt having receptacles for objects arranged one after the other in at least one row to convey the objects from an object supply to an endless material rod of the tobacco processing industry, the method comprising: rotating the operating belt to a speed corresponding to a conveying speed of the endless material rod; suctioning objects to the receptacles to accelerate the suctioned objects to a speed of the conveying speed; and inserting the suctioned objects into the endless material rod.
 12. A device for inserting objects into at least one endless material rod of the tobacco processing industry, comprising: a conveyor with receptacles arranged one after the other in at least one row that are structured for receiving the objects; an inserter structured and arranged to insert objects from the receptacles of the conveyance device into the endless material rod; the conveyor being formed as an insertion belt, which is guidable over at least two redirection rollers, and to which at least one of suction air and compressed air is to be applied from an inside, wherein the receptacles are formed as bore holes that completely penetrate the insertion belt and that have a diameter at an outside of the insertion belt that greater than at the inside, at least one receiving unit comprising an acceleration device structured and arranged to accelerate in a conveyance direction the objects in a receiving path in a section of the insertion belt so that a speed difference between the receptacles of the insertion belt and the objects is reduced.
 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one endless rod comprises an endless filter rod, and the path in the section of the insertion belt is a straight section.
 14. The device according to claim 12, wherein the insertion belt in an area of the at least one row of receptacles has at least one of an increased profile at its outside and a concave continuous indentation at its inside.
 15. The device according to claim 12, wherein the insertion belt is structured and arranged on the inside one of as a flat belt or to have a toothed belt profile in at least one side area.
 16. The device according to claim 12, wherein the device is structured and arranged for inserting objects into two or more endless material rods, and the insertion belt comprises with two or more rows of receptacles for objects.
 17. The device according to claim 12, wherein the device is structured and arranged for inserting objects into two or more endless material rods, and wherein the conveyor comprises two or more insertion belts, each with one row of receptacles for objects.
 18. The device according to claim 12, wherein the acceleration device comprises an accelerator comprising at least one of a fall path, a pneumatic or mechanical accelerator, side channel blowers, vacuum pumps, compressed air sources, centrifuges and acceleration wheels.
 19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the pneumatic or mechanical accelerator comprises one or more ring nozzles.
 20. The device according to claim 12, wherein the accelerated objects are guidable in an area of the receiving path in a single layer along the insertion belt.
 21. The device according to claim 12, wherein the receiving path is obliquely oriented to gravity so the accelerated objects roll off on the insertion belt.
 22. The device according to claim 12, wherein at least one object supply is provided that is structured and arranged with a sloped bottom store and a vibration motor that is connected to the at least one acceleration device and which is mechanically decoupled from the at least one acceleration device.
 23. The device according to claim 12, wherein the receiving unit comprises at least one ejection device structured and arranged between the redirection rollers, by which objects are ejectable from the receptacles.
 24. The device according to claim 23, wherein the at least one ejection device comprises: a pneumatic or mechanical ejection pulse structure to apply a compressed air pulse or compressed air flow; a star wheel; or a plunger.
 25. The device according to claim 12, wherein a feedback unit is provided as part of an air circulation loop for feeding objects that were not received in a receptacle back into one of the object supply or the acceleration device.
 26. The device according to claim 12, further comprising at least one further receiving unit being arranged at the insertion belt and downstream, in relation to the conveyance direction, the receiving unit and at at least one receiving path in a straight section of the insertion belt, to which further objects are accelerated, wherein the further objects are received in receptacles of the insertion belt that are free of objects after leaving the first receiving unit.
 27. The device according to claim 26, wherein the further objects are of a type differing from the objects in the receiving unit.
 28. The device according to claim 12, wherein the inserter is structured and arranged to be mechanical or pneumatic and to apply a compressed air pulse or compressed air flow, a star wheel or a plunger, and wherein a scraper for supporting the receiving of objects from the receptacles in the insertion belt is arranged downstream of the inserter in a conveyance direction of the endless material rod.
 29. The device according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the redirection rollers has an annular groove at which a vacuum is to be applied.
 30. The device according to claims 12, further comprising a control device structured and arranged to insert the objects into the at least one endless material rod of the tobacco processing industry.
 31. An insertion belt of a device according to claims 12, wherein the receptacles for the objects are structured as bore holes completely penetrating the insertion belt and having a diameter at an outside of the insertion belt greater than at an inside, and wherein the insertion belt in an area of the at least one row of receptacles has at least one of an increased profile at the outside and a concave continuous indentation at the inside.
 32. The insertion belt according to claim 31, wherein the insertion belt at the inside is structured one of as a flat belt, or to have toothed belt profile in at least one side area. 